ON THE RADAR SCREEN Spam Personnel Announcement Not the Way to Go
Access Communications
, San Francisco, really goofed when its human resources department decided to buddy up to potential employees online and ended up spamming dozens of professionals in the gaming industry.
With a "mail-to" list that ran well over 100 names, the unsolicited e-mail asked: "Are you looking for new and exiting ways to show your creativity to the media and your colleagues?" The response likely could have been: "No, but we're looking for ways of filtering out unwanted e-mail."
The company apparently has apologized profusely. Maybe its next job posting will be for the human resources staffer in charge of recruiting.
IABC Raises Dues For First Time in a Decade
For the first time in a decade, the International Association of Business Communicators is raising dues. Members will pay an additional $25 for dues that now range between $200 and $265 (they vary regionally). The dues hike will cover services and the higher cost of doing business, according to IABC.
Over the past 10 years, membership has doubled to 13,400. (IABC, 415/544-4700)
IPR Sets Priorities for The Millennium
To raise its profile, The Institute of Public Relations, London, has identified six goals for the millennium. They are:
- restructuring its operations;
- an agreed-upon mission statement to form a "corporate voice";
- membership recruitment and retention;
- responding to legislative and other public-policy issues;
- strengthening resources, with a staff increase to 15 from 10 over the next 18 months; and
- working with other trade organizations to boost revenue.
(IPR, 44-0171-413-4390)
BUSINESS NEWS
- Gary Gerard, national director of marketing and communications for Deloitte & Touche, is named "1999 Communicator of the Year' by the Business Marketing Association of New York. (D&T, 203/761-3179)
- Klas Bergman, former chief of media relations at the World Bank, joins the Los Angeles-based strategic communications firm, Winner & Associates. (W&A, 818/385-1900)
- Mark O. Hatfield, former director of corporate communications for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, joins Burson Marsteller's public affairs team as managing director in New York. (BM, 212,614-4082)
- Crisis management firm Rowan & Blewitt Inc. moves to Virginia high-tech hub: the new address is: One Dulles Tech Center, 2191 Fox Mill Road, Herndon, Va. 22071; phone: 703/234-4400.
- The Atlanta office of Weber Public Relations is named agency of record for the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry. (Weber, 617/520-7009)
- Cummings McGlone & Associates, Dallas, acquires Swell Marketing, bringing combined annual fees to approximately $1 million. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. (Cummings McGlone, 214/219-2909)
- Fleishman-Hillard Inc. hires Kitty Beholf, former senior media relations manger with A.T. Kearney and U.S. Robotics, as VP in the technology group in Chicago. She's a former CNN business reporter. (FH, 312/751-8878)